It looks like Oracle founder Larry Ellison may dethrone Tesla CEO Elon Musk as the richest man in the world. Ellison is closing in on Musk’s spot as the world’s richest person after Oracle’s blockbuster earnings sent his fortune soaring.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Ellison’s net worth jumped $70 billion to $364 billion, just shy of Musk’s $384 billion.
Oracle Corporation, one of the world’s leading technology companies, was founded in 1977 by Larry Ellison, Bob Miner, and Ed Oates. Originally named Software Development Laboratories (SDL), the company was established to develop a relational database management system (RDBMS) based on research by Edgar F. Codd at IBM. Ellison, who served as the driving force behind Oracle’s vision and innovation, was inspired by Codd’s ideas and aimed to commercialize the technology. In 1979, the company released Oracle Version 2, the first commercially available RDBMS, which laid the foundation for Oracle’s rapid growth.
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Larry Ellison, born in 1944 in New York City, is a self-made billionaire and one of the most influential figures in the tech industry. After attending the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago, he dropped out and moved to California, where he worked for companies like Ampex and Amdahl before co-founding Oracle. Known for his bold leadership style and aggressive business tactics, Ellison guided Oracle through decades of innovation, including the expansion into cloud computing and enterprise software solutions.
Under Ellison’s leadership, Oracle transformed from a small startup into a global powerhouse, dominating the database software market and expanding into hardware and cloud services. Ellison stepped down as CEO in 2014 but remains executive chairman and chief technology officer, continuing to influence the company’s strategic direction. His legacy is marked by relentless innovation, competitive spirit, and a lasting impact on enterprise technology worldwide.
Shares of Oracle are up 29.3%, and if the gains hold when markets open Wednesday, it would mark the biggest one-day wealth increase ever recorded by the index.
Ellison’s recent surge in net worth, driven by Oracle’s blockbuster earnings and a sharp 29.3% jump in share price, has brought him within striking distance of Elon Musk as the world’s richest person. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Ellison’s fortune has soared to $364 billion, just behind Musk’s $384 billion. This marks a remarkable moment in the wealth rankings, highlighting the volatility and competitive dynamics among tech billionaires tied to the performance of their companies’ stocks.
Meanwhile, Musk’s wealth is closely tied to Tesla, SpaceX, and other ventures. Tesla’s stock has experienced mixed performance in 2025, facing challenges such as global supply chain issues, increased competition in the electric vehicle market, and regulatory pressures. While Tesla remains a dominant player in the EV space, its share price growth has been more subdued compared to Oracle’s recent gains. SpaceX, although privately held, continues to make strides in space exploration and satellite internet, adding value to Musk’s overall portfolio.